Question

Which of the following statements represents a conflict between economic development and ecosystem quality?

Answer 1

Answer: the conflict between economic development and ecosystem quality is number 4, about fertilizers in farmland. The true statements about groundwater are 1 and 2.

Explanation: In the first exercise, the only alternative which shows conflict between economic aspects and ecosystem quality is number 4, because fertilizers are able to pollute water supplies nearby the farmland soil after its absorption by the soil. So, having an increased production of food has this environmental cost that might harm the production later. The other alternatives only show economic development sides.

In the second exercise, groundwater is responsible for providing support for the ground above it since it's usually made of impermeable rock, which keeps the groundwater stored. The deepest layers of soil are known to support the ones closer to the surface also by the effect of gravity. Also, groundwater can be stored in such a large amount that they might be available for a longer time period compared to surface sources, that need more frequent recharge periods, such as rainy periods. Alternative number 3 is false because groundwater can be recharged by water absorption in the soil. Alternative number 4 is false as well, because very advanced perforation methods are needed in order to explore it, and those are often more expensive than the ones used to extract surface water, since it's easier to reach.